Veterans, Service,
and a Lifetime of Listening

Service has shaped every chapter of my life.

For 30 years, I taught U.S. History and Government in Colorado Springs, emphasizing not only our nation’s founding principles, but the responsibility that comes with freedom. That commitment was recognized through multiple honors, including being named Outstanding American History Teacher for the State of Colorado by the Daughters of the American Revolution and receiving several citizenship and education awards from the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

One of the most meaningful parts of my career was my work with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.

For more than a decade, I led a multi-generational project that paired high school students with American veterans—many of them veterans of World War II. Students conducted formal interviews, preserved oral histories, collected photographs and documents, and created multimedia presentations that were submitted to the permanent collection of the Library of Congress.

These were not classroom exercises. They were moments of connection—young people listening to firsthand accounts of courage, sacrifice, and service. Veterans saw their stories preserved and honored. Students learned the true cost of freedom in a way no textbook could teach.

That work reinforced a core belief that guides me today: leadership begins with listening, and service means lifting others up—not seeking recognition.

I was also honored by the Colorado Springs Rotary with the Diamond Award for Teacher of the Year. This award is especially meaningful because teachers are nominated by their students for making a lasting impact. Knowing my students had a voice in that recognition was deeply humbling and reaffirmed why service must always be about impact, not self.

After retiring from teaching, I continued serving my community as Vice President of the D11 School Board, where I’ve helped oversee multi-million-dollar budgets, ensuring transparency, fiscal responsibility, and accountability to taxpayers.
Everything I’ve done—inside and outside the classroom—has prepared me to serve with humility, discipline, and respect for those who sacrifice for our country and contribute to our community.

This campaign isn’t about ambition, it’s about service—and honoring the trust placed in us by others.